When I first came to Bolivia and settled down in Cochabamba, I discovered a group of photographers who organised regular meetings not far from where I lived. I met there people with whom I shared my passion and who will become one of my first ‘Facebook’ friends in Bolivia ;) However, I attended only two meetings before I moved to Santa Cruz de la Sierra… Thankfully, the new city, located in Bolivian tropics, had its own photography group which I discovered via Facebook – Fotografos de la Naturaleza en Bolivia.

I was never a nature photographer, but I appreciated the work of other people, who displayed not only a passion for nature and environment but also a big deal of patience and drive for adventure. I was mesmerised by the amazing images I found on this Facebook page, which have showed different parts of Bolivia, some of them I was fortunate to visit myself. My only regret is that I had never took part in any organised outing with the group, which is not only getting bigger each week, but also gets noticed by local authorities who see it as a great way to promote tourism. I had, however, met some of the members, two of whom I was admiring from the very beginning of my participation in the group.

Ruben Dario Azogue is one of the creators of the group and its leader. His landscape photography is close to perfection, carefully composed and tuned, but not over-processed. I like what he said in one of the interviews about the nature photography:

“We are hunters for imaging excellence. But instead of grabbing the gun to hunt, we grab a camera and we can feel the same adrenaline. It is very similar process: one has to crawl, lie on the ground, wait for prey and shoot it; but in this case the animal survives’ (La Region).

The other leader of the group is Ivan Gutierrez Lemaitre – a biochemist by profession. I admire especially his photographs of birds, taken with his ‘old’ and favourite camera, what he often emphasize, Sony Alpha :) The art-works of Ivan are the best example of an old saying that it isn’t a camera that makes a photographer. Just have a look!

Most of the members of the group created in 2007 are not photographers by profession, but through personal development they managed to reach the heights of photographic process. They gladly share their knowledge and experience with everybody, online and via organised workshops and events, which are mostly free of charge and open to anybody who wants to learn about photography.

Nature photographers of Bolivia very seldom gain financial profit from their images – they are rather driven by the preservation of the natural environment than money. And nowadays they mission is more important than ever, as country, which has one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, faces many ecological issues: poaching of jaguars and other wild animals in Amazon basin, illegal farming destroying natural habitats or mining for lithium, which could change the landscape of one of Bolivia’s most popular tourist destinations – Salar de Uyuni – forever. The members of the group, who live all around the country and travel to many not easily reached places, try to make other people aware of what they have at their doorstep and cautious that all this magical world of nature could have disappeared, if not protected.

“I’ve never felt so much fear before as when entering a protected area now, because I run into strange people and you do not know if they can harm you. The main concern today is the drug trafficking. (La Region)’

It’s worth to emphasize that the group consist of not only Bolivia born photographers but also foreigners like Polish Radek Czajkowski andGerman Steffen Richle, about whom I wrote before. And of course, this blog post could go on endlessly as there are so many other nature photographers in Bolivia worth mentioning, but I will have to finish here.

However, I welcome you to view a digital book presenting the eccelent work of other members of Fotografos de Naturaleza en Bolivia – ‘Bolivia en 100 Fotografias de Naturaleza’, put together by Ruben Dario Azogue in 2014. I wonder if you can find my photograph – a beautiful reminder of my precious time spent in Cochabamba?;)

Polish old proverbs: ‘In March as in a pot’ or ‘April the weaver, because interweaves a little bit of winter with a little bit of summer’, seem to be true not only in my homeland, where people recently celebrated ‘white Easter holidays’ but also in Eastern Bolivia, where tropical weather plays tricks on us too. Shortly after the end of the calendar summer in the Southern hemisphere, the temperature have exceeded 35 degrees, and with the beginning of April, just for two days, came the first —> ‘Surazos‘, the cold winds. This mixed weather seems to be having a very positive effect on the nature, because most of the trees are blooming like crazy – especially my favorite —> Toborochi! See for yourself :)

They say, Poles live in every corner of the world – for centuries they have emigrated: some were forced to do so, others left the country in search of better life, looking for adventure or because of love.

Bolivia may not appear as the promised land to ordinary people (exception are the Mennonites, who moved here from Mexico), but several compatriots made it their new home and can not imagine a better place to live. So, what have in common Mileniusz Spanowicz, Radoslaw Czajkowski and Szymon Kochański?

Well, all of them are photographers! Who keeps track of my blog could certainly notice that Bolivia is probably one of the most photogenic places in the world. Not only for its beautiful landscapes!

The most well-known Polish nature photographer in Bolivia must be Mileniusz Spanowicz – zootechnician by education, a painter with a passion, and true citizen of the world. I acquainted myself with his achievements by accident, sitting on the plane from Santa Cruz to Cochabamba and reviewing Bolivian airline’s magazine. I was looking at pictures of postal stamps and there was one with a deer signed with familiar sounding name – Mileniusz Spanowicz.

Spanowicz, having an interest in rich Amazon nature, came to Bolivia in 2003, where he settled down and started a family. Today, he works in the Madidi National Park and collaborates with the Wildlife Conservation Society. Madidi Park, which is considered the most biologically diverse region on earth, still holds many secrets. Mileniusz Spanowicz, recognized and respected in Bolivia scientist and artist, is also the discoverer of a new species of lizard! But the main characters of his photographs, exhibited both in the country (Bolivia) and abroad (in Poland among others) are jaguars and snakes —> about the recent exhibition in La Paz.

Mileniusz is one of those people who, appearing in the (new) country, immerses himself in everyday life and in culture, becoming its adopted child – not by a decree or administrative concessions, but by his work of undeniable love for Bolivia.

I am sure that soon we will hear about Mileniusz Spanowicz again, as soon he is planning to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Polish traveler, Arkady Fiedler (Polskatimes.pl).

And I’m still waiting for the phone number of my famous countryman, which he has passed for me to my friend from Cochabamba, who met him by chance in Totoroto, and who the very number somehow misplaced;) By the way, the world is small, isn’t it?

Radoslaw Czajkowski, to Bolivians known as Radek, also loves to photograph the nature, but does commercial photography too. Recently, he became a star of Bolivia’s media, as the winner of the 4th edition of the photo contest ‘Bolivian endangered animal species’ (4º Concurso de fotografía de especies en peligro de Bolivianas extinción), thanks to his excellent picture of pink river dolphins. How I envied him both fame and the thousand dollars!

We know each other virtually, being the members of the Facebook group of nature photographers in Bolivia, FNB – Fotografos de Naturaleza en Bolivia. Some of Radek’s works are included in the latest publication of the group (so far only online), where one of my photos found its place:)—> BOLIVIA en 100 fotografias. You can also admire his talent on his professional website —> Luz y Sombra.

And finally, Szymon Kochanski, who I found at the very beginning of my Bolivian adventure, thanks to his blog—> My Way Around, which until recently had a subtitle of: ‘Polish Embassy in Bolivia’. Szymon must have resigned from this prestigious position of unofficial ambassador, as he left his adoptive homeland. Probably not for long though, because Bolivia without ‘Simon K., the greatest Bolivian cowboy’, cannot do!

From Szymon’s photographs I like the most pictures showing the streets of La Paz, where he lived for several years —> click, and from his journey around Bolivia;)

Szymon appeared in many interviews (just enter his name in google and you will see!), but the real wave of ‘fame’ and ‘hate’ fell on him last year, after an interview published on pages of national newspaper —> Wyborcza.pl. How I laughed reading the envious comments below the article:)

fot. Szymon Kochanski

Uwaga! Nie wszyscy Polacy mieszkajacy w Boliwii to fotografowie (choc większość z ich to zdolne ‘bestie’;)Attention! Not all Poles living in Bolivia are photographers (however most of them are talented ‘beasts’;)

Chochís is a small village on the road Ruta 4, about 60 km from Santiago de Chiquitos in the direction to Santa Cruz de la Sierra. There is no way you would miss this place, as it can be seen from far away with its tall red rock on the horizon, called ‘La Torre‘ (Tower).

For centuries, the giant granite was considered to be magical and sacred. Apparently the locals believe to this day that the rock is the source of the energy, and local legends name it the ‘Devil’s Tooth‘ (La muela del diablo). You must admit that this colossus, suddenly growing out of the ground, looks phenomenal? (According to me a lot more than its more known brother from La Paz.)

We didn’t feel a mysterious power, however I must say, that after returning from our trip I noticed that my physical condition improved a lot! Or maybe it is rather because of backbreaking though successful climb to the ‘Mirador de Chochis’?

In a quiet and flowery red village we were told that we can go there alone, without a guide, and that El Mirador is only 30 minutes away on foot. Friendly people show us the direction telling to go straight. Honestly, we were hoping that the trail will be similar to that in Santiago de Chiquitos, although we remembered someone saying that the terrain is steeper.

Reality overgrown our greatest expectations. The red road came to an end and we faced the railway truck. Confused, we decided to walk along the track to check out something in the distance that looked like a sign. Then, the terrain ended and we stood in front of the railway bridge built over the precipe.

We had neither the guide nor machetes. But we had Igal, who was the only one dressed in long pants and a decent shoes. As the only one who had also experience in the real jungle, in Beni, and the only one who wasn’t scared of the unknown. So we followed Igal for the next hour (!). During that time I was repeating like mantra ‘we should have taken a guide‘, struggling through the plants, looking for a path, and barbed wires crossing the route.

Willy-nilly, we listened to the sounds of the forest, drowned out by the voice of a man speaking through the microphone, coming from the village. Normally, such noises are very disturbing to me, but in our circumstances, they were reassuring – if we get lost we could get back to civilization following that same voice.

Finally, we reached the rocks and started our climb. Somehow I felt safer here than in the jungle, though the trail has not been easier. On the contrary, the rocks broke under our feet, several times we also gave each other helping hand, clutching to wooden branches to maintain balance. The sweat was pouring out of our pores, I’m not exaggerating. I don’t remember when was the last time that sweat trickled down my face, stinging my eyes.

After all these sweat and stress, we stood there and stared in awe at the magnificent view – a red rock growing out of the green sea. We weren’t the only ones on on the Mirador – there were dozens of helicopters, ahem, dragonflies flying among us:) And then we heard some strange noises comming from the jungle below. Hurrah! Some tourists, I thought. I looked down and froze in fear, seeing the tops of the trees moving. Freddy was the first who noticed monkeys jumping in the tree crowns! I breathed a sigh of relief, but then I thought that maybe the monkeys were running away from something? Maybe Jaguar or other beast? And how am I going to go down, back to the jungle full of monkeys and unknown evil?

Well, I had no choice. Our return seemed somehow shorter, probably because we were going down the hill, moving on the partially cleared path. You can only imagine how happy I was when I finally saw the railroad tracks! That is when we realized that on the way we suppoused to see a waterfall called romantically the ‘The Bride’s Veil’ (Velo de la novia). We hear the sound of the water on the other side of the tracks, but it was comming from a small river. So we went back to the village, on the way walking past a large sign of the waterfall with arrow pointing out in the direction of the jungle.

P.S. Outside of Chochis, within Valle de Turuquapá, you can find several examples of prehistoric carvings and paintings, refreshing swimming holes and lots of beautiful rocks. These are not identified on any maps, so to get there you need to find a guide.